Battery retainer means



Nov. 12, 1963 R. H. MERKLE BATTERY RETAINER MEANS Original Filed July12, 1956 A TTOP/VE K United States Patent 25,480 BATTERY RETAINER MEANSRalph H. Merkle, Milford, Mich., assignor to General Motors Corporation,Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Original No. 2,849,074, datedAug. 26, 1958, Ser. No. 597,550, July 12, 1956. Application for reissueJune 5, 1959, Ser. No. 818,495

7 Claims. (Cl. 180-685) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets [1 appears inthe original patent but forms no part of this reissue specification;matter printed in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

This invention relates to means for holding a battery member or the likewithin a receiving tray member.

Automotive and other vehicle bateries which are housed within enginecompartments with other accessory items are required to be mountedwithin an unobstructive space in a secure manner and to be readilyaccessible for service and replacement. It is desirable that suchbattery retainer means be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, beeasily disassembled when a battery is to be removed, and at the sametime provide secure shakeproof mounting of the battery as installed.

It is here proposed to provide a battery retainer means which is simplein construction, includes few parts, is inex pensive to manufacture,easily assembled and readily applied and removed. The proposed retainermeans includes a pair of spaced angle bracket members for engagingopposite edges of the battery case and which are secured to a rod memberextended therebetween and having its ends looped to receive tie rodsengaged to the battery receiving tray. Threaded fastener means engagedwith the ends of the tie rods draw the retainer assembly towards thetray member and engage the battery member securely within the receivingtray.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the proposed battery retainer meansshowing the battery member in phantom.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the proposed retainer means takenin the plane of line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 and looking in the direction of thearrows thereon.

A fragmentary section of an engine compartment, formed by walls 10 and12, is shown in FIGURE 1. A battery receiving tray member 14 whichincludes a sheet metal base 16, vertically extending ridge 18-, and asupporting side wall 20, is secured within the engine compartmentbetween walls 10 and 12 as by spot welding the flange 22 of supportingwall 20 to compartment wall 10 and applying fastener means (not shown)through apertures 24 in ridge 18 to compartment wall 12. The tray memberis of such dimension as to receive a battery member 26, shown inphantom, upon the base 16 and within the ridge 18 defining the edge ofthe tray. The aperture 28 may be provided to drain off any wateraccidentally collecting on the tray member.

The proposed battery supporting means further includes a batteryretainer assembly 30. A pair of right angle members 32 and 34 are spacedfor engagement with the upper edges of the battery 26 and are secured toa rod 36 extended therebetween and across the top of the battery. Therod is spaced to lie between battery filler caps 38 as is shown and hasits ends extended beyond the angle members 32 and 34, and the sides ofthe battery. The ends of rod 36 are bent back upon themselves andsecured to the angle members to form looped portions 40 and 42.

The retainer assembly is coated with a non-conductive and non-corrosivematerial such as a rubber or plastic composition 44 for longerserviceable life and so as not to damage or interfere with the batteryin holding it to the tray member. The holes 46 which are shown formedRe. 25,480 Reissued Nov. 12, 1963 through one end of each angle member,dip coating of the assembly.

Tie rod members 48 and 50 are adapted to secure the retainer assembly 30to the tray 14 and to hold the battery 26 therebetween. The traysupporting side wall 20 and a small upright bracket 52 disposedoppositely thereof and secured to ridge 18, are each provided withapertures for receiving the lower ends of the tie rods which are formedwith heads 54. The tie rods as extended through the wall 20 and bracket52 are held in pivotal engagement by the headed ends 54.

The upper ends of the tie rods 48 and 50 are extended through the loopedend portions 40 and 42 of rod 36 and are threaded to receive the wingnuts 56. A washer 58 and lock nut 60 complete the fastener assembly, andenable the battery retainer assembly 30 to be drawn towards the tray 14with the battery 26 securely engaged therebetween.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for holding a battery member within a receiving tray and whichincludes a retainer assembly having separate elongated angle membersspaced for engaging opposite edges of said battery member, a rod membersecured transversely to said angle members between the ends thereof andextended therebetween, the ends of said rod member extending beyond saidangle members and being formed therewith to provide closed looped endportions, and means received through said looped end portions forengaging said retainer assembly to said tray member and said batterymember therebetween.

2. The means received through said looped end portions as provided forby claim 1 which includes tie rod members pivotally received by saidtray and having the ends thereof extended through said looped endportions of said rod member for engaging said retainer assembly to saidtray member and said battery member therebetween.

3. The means for holding a battery member within a receiving tray asprovided for by claim 2 which further includes having at least that partof said retainer assembly engaged with said battery coated with aresilient non-conductive and non-corrosive material for protection ofsaid battery and of said retainer from acids commonly used within saidbattery.

4. Battery retainer means including a tray member formed to receive abattery member thereon, a retainer member including elongated rightangle members spaced to engage opposite edges of said battery member andhaving a rod member secured transversely thereto and extendedtherebetween, the ends of said rod member extending beyond said anglemembers and being bent back upon themselves and secured to said anglemembers to form closed loop portions at opposite ends of said retainermemher, said loop portions extending beyond the said edges of saidbattery member, and tie rod members engaged to said tray member andhaving the ends thereof extended through said loop portions, said endsof said tie rods being threaded to receive fastener means for drawingsaid retainer members towards said tray member and engaging said batterymember therebetween.

5. Battery retainer means including a tray formed to receive a batterythereon, a retainer assembly including elongated right angle membersspaced to engage opposite edges of said battery member and a rod membersecured transversely thereto and extended therebetween, ,one of saidmembers extending beyond said battery member and formed to provideloops, said loops extending beyond the said edges of said batterymember, and tie rods engaged to said tray member and having the endsthereof extending through said loops, said ends of said tie rods beingthreaded to receive fastening means fpr drawing said retainerasfacilitate the senzbly toward said tray and engaging said batterytherebetween.

6. A battery hold-down clamp for vehicular storage batteries of the typehaving a plurality of filler openings projecting from the top surfacethereof comprising a horizontal bar pocitionable adjacent the topsurface of the battery adjacent said filler openings, said bar havingears extending beyond the edges of the battery at its opposite ends withbolt-receiving openings therein, and a pair of cross members of L-shapedcross section for contacting top opposite edges of said battery andbeing of a length substantially greater than the width of the bar, saidcross members being connected intermediate their ends to the bar nearsaid ears.

7. A battery hold-down clamp for vehicular storage batteries of the typehaving a plurality of filler openings projecting from the top surfacethereof comprising a horizontal bar positionable adjacent the topsurface of the battery adjacent said filler openings, said bar havingears extending over and beyond the edges of the battery at its oppositeends with bolt-receiving openings therein, a pair of cross members ofL-shaped cross section for contacting top opposite edges of said batteryand being of a length substantially greater than the width of the bar,said cross members being secured intermediate their ends to the bar nearsaid ears, and a thick coating of acid-resisting plastic materialcovering said bar and cross members.

References Cited in the file of this patent or the original patentUNITED STATES PATENTS 1,218,056 Cole Mar. 6, 1917 1,705,381 Snyder Mar.12, 1929 2,402,682 Shriro et a1. June 25, 1946 2,491,997 Meyer Dec. 20,1949 2,613,755 Newby et a1 Oct. 14, 1952

